Mecum’s massive Kissimmee 2024 auction saw a 1970 Plymouth HEMI ‘Cuda convertible cross the block for $2.14 million. That’s a record for 1970 ‘Cuda models and a sum that made headlines. But it wasn’t the only Mopar that set a new benchmark. The event also gave us the world’s most expensive Plymouth Duster.
Not exactly breaking news, I know. The Duster was built in millions of units from 1970 through 1976, so it’s nowhere near as rare as other Plymouths from the golden era. What’s more, this compact is not even considered a fully-fledged muscle car, and they’re still affordable today. But it’s an important benchmark for the nameplate because this Duster is the first to change hands for more than $100,000.
It’s a big deal because the Duster is still seen as a throw-away classic. Derelict examples sell for pennies, while restored cars rarely fetched more than $50,000. This Curious Yellow example from the 1971 model year found a new home for $159,500 (including buyer’s premium), a somewhat crazy amount that will most likely give the Duster market a solid boost.
Until Kissimmee 2024, only two Dusters had exceeded the $100,000 mark. However, none of them were factory-stock examples. A customized version with a HEMI engine sold for $123,200 in 2021, while the one-off and highly-modified Duster Rapid Transit changed hands for $264,000. Until this 1971 version crossed the block, the record for stock Dusters was held by a 1970 version that sold for $77,000.
So, what prompted bidders to jump on this Curious Yellow compact? For starters, it’s a flawlessly restored example that was featured in multiple publications and won the Concours Gold Certificate at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals (MCACN), a high-profile show for classic rigs.
It’s also a highly original car refreshed with new-old-stock and restored original parts. The 340-cubic-inch (5.6-liter) V8, the range-topping option on the Duster at the time, is numbers-matching. The four-speed manual gearbox enjoys a similar status.
It also comes with an extensive options list that includes a high-performance 3.91-ratio rear axle and the blacked-out hood treatment. The latter is a super-rare option. Curious Yellow is also a short-lived and scarce hue from the High-Impact color palette.
All told, it’s arguably the best Duster out there. If Chrysler would put together a museum dedicated to muscle cars from the golden era, this Duster would have to be included.
In addition to being the most expensive Duster ever sold, this Plymouth is also among the priciest of the Duster/Dart A-body family. It’s second to only a 1972 Dodge Demon GSS, which changed hands for $165,000 in 2022. I’m not including the 1968 Dodge HEMI Dart factory dragsters here. These limited-edition Super Stock rigs cost $200,000 to $300,000 in restored condition.
Interestingly enough, the Curious Yellow example isn’t the only Duster that fetched big bucks at Kissimmee 2024. A black 1970 version sold for $95,000, while a Moulin Rouge variant went under the hammer for $90,000. In short, this event gave us the top three most expensive Dusters ever auctioned. And as it usually happens after high-profile auction events, Duster prices will rise.
On the flip side, some of these cars remain painfully expensive to restore. This record Duster was sold restoration receipts totaling over $250,000. That’s nearly $100K more than its newly-found value.